MLB Rumors

Marlins starting pitcher Kevin Slowey had an initial examination from the team doctor after being pulled from Wednesday's start with a left lat strain, and he told the Sun-Sentinel the injury does not appear serious.

"I felt it the first couple of warm-ups and made the call," said Slowey. "Our doc already got his hands on me and felt it's not severe. It's not something he's worried about. Hopefully it's more of a cramp than a strain."

Slowey is considered day to day, but will likely receive further examination Thursday, with the team off. 

Cubs reliever Shawn Camp has been dealing with a sprained toe for nearly a month, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, but he did not disclose the injury to the team until last Sunday, when he first received treatment for it. Camp did not respond well to the treatment, forcing him to be placed on the disabled list Wednesday.

Camp posted a 7.56 ERA and three blown saves prior to the injury, and it appears as if he might require a lengthy trip to the disabled list. He has been told to stay off his foot until the pain and swelling subsides. 

The Phillies announced Wednesday that pitcher Phillippe Aumont was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after a 3-0 win over the Marlins. A corresponding roster move will be announced before Friday's game against the White Sox.

Aumont had a 4.15 ERA in 16 appearances for the Phillies. He struck out 15 in 13 innings, while walking 10 and allowing 17 hits.  

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was unable to start Wednesday against the Nationals with tightness in his back, but he appeared as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. He made the final  out of the inning and finished the game at first base.

The Giants are off Thursday, so Belt could be back in the lineup Friday against the Rockies. 

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval was not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Nationals due to an illness, but he was able to appear as a pinch-hitter. Sandoval grounded out to third base in the eighth inning of a 2-1, 10-inning loss. 

Sandoval is expected to be fine, especially with an off-day Thursday. 

Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin had a cortisone injection in his left knee Wednesday and hopes to be ready Friday for the Diamondbacks, according to MLB.com. Quentin missed his second game in a row Wednesday, against the Cardinals, after he injured the knee Monday sliding into a base.  

The Padres have taken Clayton Richard's disabled list stint as an opportunity to get him to work on his mechanics. Richard, who has been out since May 5 with an intestinal virus, has been working on pitching out of a higher arm slot in his two rehab starts, with the intention of getting more sink on the ball.

"Lots of ground-ball outs yesterday, and he held his velocity into the seventh inning," manager Bud Black told MLB.com. "Our reports from the Triple-A staff and from [assistant general manager] A.J. Hinch, who was there, was that the arm slot looked a bit higher than what we saw through April and the early part of May. So that's a good thing."

The fact that Richard is not dealing with a structural issue gives the team the opportunity to work on some issues at Triple-A Tucson before activating him. Richard is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings on his rehab assignment, after having an 8.54 ERA in six major-league starts.

Richard is expected to join the team Wednesday in San Diego, but it is not clear whether he is set to be activated from the DL. 

Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda, who left the game with a calf injury and is questionable for his next start, took the loss in the 6-3 defeat in Baltimore. 

Kuroda (6-3), who has a 2.67 ERA, was losing 3-1 when he left in the third.

Orioles starter Jason Hammel appeared to finally figure out his command issues at home Wednesday against the Yankees after back-to-back poor starts in which he gave up 13 runs over a span of 8 2/3 innings.

Hammel (6-2) allowed two earned runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out six, to get the win Wednesday. He threw 109 pitches and was removed with two outs in the seventh inning with the only Yankees' player to do anything against him coming up. Curtis Granderson was 3 for 3 with a homer for the Yankees with Hammel in the game, so manager Buck Showalter removed him just before Granderson's fourth at-bat.

Hammel, who's ERA is 5.37, will make his next scheduled start Monday at Washington.

Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Karstens was scheduled to make his third rehab start for Double-A Altoona Thursday, but his name was removed from the schedule Wednesday afternoon, according to MLB.com. It is not clear when or where Karstens' next rehab start will happen.

Karstens last pitched Saturday in Altoona, throwing 60 pitches as he recovers from right shoulder inflammation.